The present invention relates to a game processing apparatus, and more particularly to a new game display technology capable of heightening the interest level of conventional games, and increasing the excitement of the players for a genre of games called battle games in which two players battle one another.
A game processing apparatus uses a computer to process data and images in accordance with game program data supplied on a CD-ROM or other storage media. The players use input devices connected to the computer to supply operating signals to the computer.
Among the games provided via game processing apparatus is a genre called battle games, whereby two or more players battle one another by manipulating characters displayed on the screen. The best known of the battle games are the fighting games, whereby characters resembling human beings are manipulated to fight one another in hand-to-hand combat, and the battle puzzle games, whereby the players manipulate blocks that descend from the top of the screen, attacking their opponents by lining these blocks up in accordance with a predetermined condition.
The above-described battle games first gained widespread popularity around 1989, and numerous titles have been put out to date, all of which have tended to resemble one another as far as screen configuration and execution are concerned. To ensure that players do not tire of these games, it has become necessary to add new executions and functions.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide game display technology capable of increasing the tension and level of excitement of the players by displaying images that provide more visual effects than conventional battle-type puzzle games.
That is, a first aspect of the present invention is to provide a game capable of increasing the excitement of the players by adding operational restrictions when one of the players makes a victory declaration.
A second aspect of the present invention is to provide games capable of increasing the excitement of the players by making it possible for them to compete against the short overall operation time when a game stage is repeated.
A third aspect of the present invention is to provide games capable of increasing the excitement of the players by establishing heretofore non-existent cooperative relationships when three or more playing areas are displayed.
A fourth aspect of the present invention is to provide games capable of increasing the excitement of the players by effectively changing the background image in accordance with the operating conditions.
A fifth aspect of the present invention is to provide games capable of increasing the excitement of the players by making it possible for players to select the processing mode on their own.
A sixth aspect of the present invention is to provide games capable of increasing the excitement of the players by altering the points earned by the disappearance of blocks.
A seventh aspect of the present invention is to provide games capable of increasing the excitement of the players by characterizing each stage of the game.
An eighth aspect of the present invention is to provide games capable of increasing the excitement of the players by making it possible to warn one""s opponent of a pending attack.
The invention that solves for the first task described above is a game processing apparatus that processes a game on the basis of players"" operating signals, this game processing apparatus being equipped with processing circuits, which process the above-mentioned game based on operating signals supplied by input devices operated by the players, and which generate the image data for this game, and when an operating signal equivalent to a player""s declaration of victory is input from the above-described input devices, the above-described processing circuits process subsequent operating signals input by that player as invalid signals until a predetermined condition has been met.
The invention that solves for the second task described above is a game processing apparatus, which processes a game, the stages of which are repeated a plurality of times based on operating signals, this game processing apparatus being equipped with processing circuits, which process the above-mentioned game based on operating signals supplied by input devices operated by the players, and which generate the image data for this game, and when the above-described processing circuits make a judgement as to whether or not the final stage of the game is over, and determine that the final stage is over, they calculate the number of points corresponding to the elapsed time from the start of the initial stage of the game until the completion of the above-mentioned final stage, and count these as the points earned for the entire game.
The invention that solves for the third task described above is a game processing apparatus that simultaneously displays a plurality of playing areas, where the game is processed based on independent operating signals, this game processing apparatus being equipped with processing circuits, which process the above-mentioned game based on a plurality of operating signals, including operating signals supplied by input devices operated by the players, and which generate the image data for displaying the above-mentioned playing areas, and the above-described processing circuits generate image data for displaying at least three playing areas, which are manipulated based on the above-mentioned plurality of operating signals, and prior to starting the game, out of those plurality of playing areas described above, the processing circuits interrelate those playing areas which will form cooperative relationships with each other, and change the processing of the game in playing areas where cooperating relationships have not been formed based on whether or not the results of operations in any of the playing areas where cooperating relationships have been formed meet a predetermined condition.
The invention that solves for the fourth task described above is a game processing apparatus that processes a game which displays display images arranged in the playing areas and background area, this game processing apparatus being equipped with processing circuits, which generate image data in such a way that the images in the playing areas where the above-mentioned game is processed based on operating signals supplied by input devices operated by the players are superimposed on a background image controlled independently from the concerned playing area images, and this background image is visible, and the above-described processing circuits generate image data that changes the above-described background image in accordance with whether or not the results of operations in the playing areas processed based on the above-mentioned operating signals meet a predetermined condition.
By virtue of the present invention, the above-described processing circuits process games in a plurality of playing areas based on mutually independent operating signals, which include operating signals supplied from the above-mentioned input devices, and generate image data that changes the method used to display the above-described background image according to whether a playing area, wherein the results of operations based on the above-mentioned operating signals meet the above-mentioned condition, corresponds to any of the above-described plurality of playing areas.
By virtue of the present invention, the above-described processing circuits change the above-described background image display method so that the locus of movement of the above-described playing areas relative to the above-described background image is similar to the locus of movement of an elastic object that repeatedly jumps up and down on the ground.
By virtue of the present invention, the above-described processing circuits change the above-described background image display method so as to change the color of the above-described background image in accordance with whether or not the results of operations based on the above-mentioned operating signals meet the above-mentioned condition.
By virtue of the present invention, the above-described processing circuits change the above-described background image display method based on color change characteristics for color tone processing stipulated in advance for a plurality of primary colors that determine the color of images, and on color change characteristics stipulated for the chromaticness of each of the above-mentioned primary colors, and the color change characteristics for the chromaticness of each of the above-mentioned primary colors are determined based on color specific data that indicates the color change characteristics of the chromaticness of a primary color from the time color change commences until the time color change is complete, and on color specific data that indicates the different color change characteristics for the chromaticness of each primary color through the change of different chromaticness levels from an achromatic at the commencement of color change until an achromatic is once again achieved upon the completion of color change.
The invention that solves for the fifth task described above is a game processing apparatus that simultaneously displays a plurality of playing areas, within which a game is processed based on independent operating signals, this game processing apparatus being equipped with processing circuits, which process the above-mentioned game based on a plurality of operating signals, including operating signals supplied by input devices operated by the players, and which generate image data for displaying the above-described playing areas, and the above-described processing circuits generate image data that displays a plurality of options capable of being selected by the operator according to whether or not the results of the players"" manipulations in the playing areas processed based on the above-mentioned operating signals meet one or more predetermined conditions.
By virtue of the present invention, the above-described processing circuits hold in advance a plurality of the above-mentioned conditions determined in accordance with the processing of the game, tally points in accordance with whether the processing of the game in the above-described playing area meets any of the plurality of conditions mentioned above, and generate image data that displays a plurality of options based on the number of points scored.
The invention that solves for the sixth task described above is a game processing apparatus that makes blocks disappear, this game processing apparatus being equipped with processing circuits, which process the above-mentioned game based on operating signals supplied by input devices operated by the players, and which generate the image data for this game, and the above-mentioned processing circuits determine the score based on the location from which the above-mentioned blocks disappeared.
The invention that solves for the seventh task described above is a game processing apparatus that processes a game, the stages of which are repeated a plurality of times based on operating signals, this game processing apparatus being equipped with processing circuits, which process the above-mentioned game based on operating signals supplied by input devices operated by the players, and which generate the image data for this game, and each time an above-mentioned stage commences, the above-mentioned processing circuits select from among a plurality of types of characters those characters that correspond to that stage of the game, and when a new character is selected at a new stage, the processing circuits change the processing of the concerned stage of the game in accordance with how many times a character of the same type as the above-mentioned character has been selected prior to that.
By virtue of the present invention, the above-described processing circuits change the degree of difficulty of the game in accordance with the above-mentioned characters.
The invention that solves for the eighth task described above is a game processing apparatus for a plurality of players to do battle, this game processing apparatus being equipped with processing circuits, which process the above-mentioned game based on a plurality of operating signals supplied by a plurality of input devices operated by the players, and which generate the image data for this game, and when a player launches an attack on an opponent based on operating signals supplied by the above-mentioned input devices, the above-described processing circuits generate image data for warning the opposing player of the attack in advance.
Also, the recording media for the present invention are media on which information (primarily digital data and programs) are recorded by some physical means, and which are capable of executing specified functions on computers, dedicated processors and other processing devices. In other words, this can be any media that downloads programs to a computer by some means or another, and which executes specified functions. For example, this includes floppy disks, hard disks, magnetic tape, magneto-optical disks, CD-ROM, DVD, ROM cartridges, RAM memory cartridges equipped with back-up batteries, flash memory cartridges and non-volatile RAM cartridges.
Systems that receive data transmitted by a host computer via wired or radio communications circuits (public telephone lines, dedicated data communications circuits, satellite circuits) are also included. The so-called Internet is included among the recording media referred to here.